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Are the governor’s school district claims inflated by $221 million?

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Illinois

* As you’ll recall, the Senate Democrats released an analysis yesterday which claims that the governor’s education funding reform amendatory veto would blow a $221 million hole in the state budget.

I followed up today and was told that the additional $221 million is used by Gov. Rauner to fund moving CPS’ normal pension costs out of the school funding formula and to the pension code. So, he’s leaving $221 million in his new formula projections that, by all rights, shouldn’t be there if he wants a balanced budget with no other spending or revenue changes.

In reality, therefore, the governor’s district-by-district numbers for schools outside Chicago would be inflated by a grand total of $221 million, if yesterday’s analysis was correct and the CPS pension move is fully funded with existing revenues.

* Gov. Rauner spoke with the Joliet Herald-News editorial board yesterday and told them that the ISBE will likely release an analysis on Monday about his new education funding proposal. The governor warned the board against the coming political spin…

But you’ll hear the mayor up in Chicago and other people saying ‘Oh, the governor’s numbers are phony,’ or ‘He made ‘em up,’ or ‘They’re fuzzy math.’ I mean, you’ll hear that [chuckles]. That’s part of their political messaging. The reality is the real numbers will be out from ISBE and, my numbers will, I mean I’m sure they’ll get adjusted, but, when they do the real calculation, but they’re not, I mean, a million dollars more for Joliet’s a lot of money and it’s not gonna go to zero or $200,000, it’s gonna be a lot of money.

“Fuzzy math” would certainly encompasse double-counting $221 million, in my opinion. But that’s just me.

* He also said this…

The other thing is that you’ll hear some superintendents supported SB1 in its current form. Cause they had no alternative, there was no other bill that the Speaker would allow. So, they’re like “that’s what’s available, I’ll take that.” They and many of them as I’ve explained the numbers to them they go, “wow Governor, your bill’s way better your measure… veto is way better.”

But, maybe they won’t be nearly as good as he’s been claiming.

* For future reference, the governor’s site that contained his district-by-district breakdown is no longer password protected. But the numbers are gone and visitors are told this…

These numbers are currently being updated to reflect the amendatory veto issued by the governor on Tuesday, August 1st.

A reader helpfully saved the data into a spreadsheet. Click here to see it.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:15 pm

Comments

He may not be able to able to show how he arrived at the “real numbers” today. But I’m sure once the ISBE turns in their homework it will add up to $221M.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:21 pm
I watched the editorial board in its entirety yesterday. Very few questions asked, and Rauner babbled all over the place. Said his numbers were available on his website. I think he is over his head on this education bill.

Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:23 pm
I wonder is 1.4% was socially promoted when he was in elementary and junior high school. That could explain his difficulties with math. /s

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:30 pm
Governor RawNerve never stops shovelin’ it, does he. What kind of hokey bet does he have with Trump as to who will drop to 10% approval rate first? Oh, these wacky billionaires…

Comment by Julius Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:35 pm
The conundrum: to believe fuzzy math or fuzzy truth. Credibility Rauner, credibility. You have known.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:36 pm
===they go, “wow Governor, your bill’s way better…”===

Gotta love the bragging. What are we, in 3rd grade?

Comment by thechampaignlife Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:37 pm
Why would the numbers need to be changed when they allegedly reflected the plan he was implementing through his Amendatory Veto provisions?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:38 pm
=Said his numbers were available on his website. I think he is over his head on this education bill.=

He seemed to have some goal in mind in all of this. I’m at a loss to understand what it is. The best that I can tell is that he wanted to make some point about CPS for political purposes. But now he seems to twisting and distorting the facts to support his end objective. It’s possible that he didn’t think he would be challenged on any of this. He did kind of go 2+ years without having to do much in the way of governing or answering difficult questions. I think the override of the budget veto really derailed him and knocked him off his game. Turning over his staff the way he did only seems to have compounded his problems.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:42 pm
If you tell a lie long enough, and loud enough, someone will start believing you. The Governor just makes things up, then repeats them over and over. What wasn’t true the first time you say it, is still false a week later.

Comment by Retired Educator Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:48 pm
In political debates and news interviews, it’s easy to pin the Governor down on these wrong pronouncements, and put the old hammerlock on ‘em with: “So, when you gave that information that was in error, were you lying, or just confused? And are you confused, um, a lot?”

Comment by Newsclown Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:50 pm
“They and many of them..” is that the same “many” as communities that signed the TA proclamation? The same “many” job creators just chomping at the bit waiting for term limits?

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:55 pm
Again, can he name just one superintendent who actually said those things to him? I would really love to see a reporter press him on that. The change in hold harmless calculations alone in the AV would certainly keep any downstate supt. from saying it’s better than SB1 as passed. Perhaps he didn’t explain the full implications of his AV during these imaginary conversations with superintendents. Or, perhaps he still doesn’t understand what his AV actually does.

Comment by Disgusted Downstate Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:55 pm
Gotta love Bruce arguing that Rahm is trying to spin his spun numbers. Has anyone told him that three days after ISBE’s analysis schools are going to get stiffed?

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 1:00 pm
Everything seems to be fuzzy when dealing w Gov

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 1:23 pm
” They and many of them as I’ve explained the numbers to them they go, “wow Governor, your bill’s way better your measure… veto is way better.” This seems as likely as a certain election night call. Trump’s brazen lies are really rubbing off on this guy.

Comment by Lucky Charms Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 1:29 pm
Trust my numbers, says the guy who can’t do the math on an amendatory veto

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 1:33 pm
Adressing yourself in third person is strange, answering yourself in third person is disturbing

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 1:48 pm
Any sup. out there want to confirm they had such a conversation with the governor? No reason to keep it a secret. You’d be helping him out.

Because he has a bad reputation for making up conversations.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 1:56 pm
=Golly Gee, Wowsers Governor that’s a way better plan..=

Probably the same superintendents that were scared of Madigan last week.

Comment by GOP Extremist Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 1:56 pm
CPS pension should be outside childrens edu.
It belongs with other pension debt.Education has nothing to do with teachers pension.
The 2 are not same cost needs, Not at all the same thing.
Education funding should be based on children’s needs
Pension cost should be based on negotiated pension contracts needs.

Comment by sharkette Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 2:06 pm
wordslinger- I don’t know if there was an actual conversation, but this was on NPR Illinois this morning. Only one I’ve heard so far supporting Rauner.

https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/area-school-superintendent-supports-gov.-rauners-sb1-veto

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 2:07 pm
The Speaker has a history of repassing bills, rather than accepting part or all of an amendatory veto. Why isn’t there a handy shell bill this time? Or will the bill be killed by inconsistent chamber action, and repassed later in August or during the Veto Session?

Comment by Capitol View Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 2:07 pm
=Any sup. out there want to confirm they had such a conversation with the governor? No reason to keep it a secret. You’d be helping him out.=

None that I have heard from or of, but I am sure somebody did. there is one in every crowd.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 2:30 pm
The Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance dodged taking a position on the substance of Governor Rauner’s AV of SB 1, see http://iasb.com/govrel/alr10035.cfm They did however oppose new private school vouchers or tax credits as part of a deal, well sort of opposed that. Here is what they wrote: “…the Alliance strongly opposes any provision to send public school dollars to non-public schools.” Are tax credits for private school tuition “public school dollars,” I don’t know, maybe Rich could get Roger Eddy to let us know.

Comment by Rod Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 2:33 pm